You’ll Never Guess What Amazon Was Almost Called—and Why They Had to Change the Name
Before Amazon became the world's largest online shopping site, there were several different contenders for names—and if you type some...
The Origin of the Word “Avocado” Is About to Make You Really Uncomfortable
You'll never look at an avocado the same way again.
13 Offbeat, New Baby Names That Are About to Be Everywhere
Why stick with Emma and Noah when you can have Paisley and Ace instead?
The Surprisingly Simple Reason We Say ‘Hello’ When We Answer the Phone
Thank Thomas Edison for this uniform phone greeting. If Alexander Graham Bell had his way, we'd all talking like pirates.
Ever Wondered Why 11 and 12 Aren’t Part of the Teens?
Who knew there was a reason behind this?
Why Do We Call ‘Shotgun’ to Save the Front Passenger Seat?
Yes, it does have something to do with actual shotguns.
12 Things Only Full-Fledged Bookworms Will Understand
Forgetting to eat, counting down the days until the next release, having a crush on a fictional character—it's all just...
Quiz: So You Think You’re a Crossword Puzzle Expert? Prove It!
Test your knowledge of these words from the 2016 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
This Is the Best Time of Day to Send Important Emails
If you're drafting a message to your boss, a colleague, a client, or another VIP, check the time before you...
The Crazy English Grammar Rule You Didn’t Know You Knew
Prepare to have your mind blown.
19 Celebrity Names You’re Probably Pronouncing Wrong
Your friends will probably keep saying these stars' names wrong, but here's how to pronounce…
We Corrected the Grammar of 10 Classic Songs—And Made Them Way Worse
Actually, Janis, I think you mean, "Bobby McGee and I."
10 Common Sayings That Sound Way Funnier in Other Languages
'Nice guys finish last' means something very different in Spain.
22 High-Scoring Scrabble Words You Should Memorize
These scrabble words range from the terribly obscure (zymurgy, anyone?) to the incredibly everyday (quickly). Read 'em and win.
9 Buzzwords People Love to Hate and Their Fascinating Origins
These irritatingly overused buzzwords didn't appear yesterday. Many have been around years (or decades!) longer than you might suspect.
20 Hilarious Ways Other Cultures Say, ‘When Pigs Fly!’ Around The World
Phrases like “when pigs fly” and “when hell freezes over” are called adynata. Here, the surprising ways other cultures use...
6 Words Women Pretty Much Universally Hate
Experts at Oberlin College asked 500 women what they considered the most unpleasant words in the English language. Here's what...
Can a Missing Comma Really Get You Out of Paying a Parking Ticket?
Andrea Cammelleri's car was impounded for overtime parking. But would a tiny grammar technicality be enough to save her from...
9 Beautifully Quirky Foreign Words That We’re Jealous We Can’t Say In English
Can you say "the distance a reindeer can travel before needing to rest" in just one word? The Finns do....
5 Words You’ve Been Using Incorrectly This Whole Time
It's literally ironic when you use "literally" to mean "figuratively."
Grammar Rules: How to Sound Smarter
Think you know how to talk real good? Test yourself: These grammar rules will surprise even the experts.
9 Food Names Inspired by Parts of the Body
These foods were creatively named for parts of the body.
Lessons on Public Speaking From The King’s Speech
Speech lessons fit for a king.
Veteran’s Day or Veterans Day: Which Is It?
Or Veterans' Day, for that matter? On November 11, our country will honor veterans current and past. The only question: To...